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Neil

Text version:

Neil: “I think I have two things in my mind. One is what we do around KPMG to do this and that is therefore our contribution to the overall profession.”

I’ve been here for a number of years now and have been doing this public affairs role for something like 15 years which really has been helping KPMG to ensure that its messages and the things that it is committed to; the things it wants to see changed are understood by the politicians and the regulators to ensure they understand our perspectives on a whole range of issues are critical to us right around the world. On a UK basis we obviously try to build very close relationships with the political parties. It’s in our interest right across the political spectrum to have good public policy, that’s where we second people into the political parties. We have a whole range of activities, not the least of party conferences but outside as well to talk to key players right across the three main political parties.

“So we are meeting with Neil Sherlock today to talk about a new fair access report. Neil, how did you get involved in this report?”

Neil: “Well I took the call from home from Liam Burn, who was then the Cabinet Office Minister who said the government was looking to set up an independent panel that would then report back to the Prime Minister, but would include people who were leaders in their professions. Right across the professions to come together to say how can we broaden access to the professions to a sort of wider group in society. I was very happy to serve and it changed a bit and ultimately ended up with Alan Milburn the former Cabinet Minister chairing it and was a whole rought of people from across the professions whether they were lawyers or architects or media people or engineers or the armed services right across the professions and leaders in professions. We worked for six or seven months on it. We took lots of evidence. I saw 30 or 40 people across the accountancy profession. I checked subgroups looking at flexible work for working and flexible groups into the professions. Then we launched the report a few weeks ago and was very pleased, very gratified. We got a very nice letter from Alan and a very nice letter from the Prime Minister because we officially handed over the report to the Prime Minister as the commissioner of the work. We then launched it and we made very clear it was an all party report as well. The professions are now going to take it away and the bits that particularly refer to them and the individuals that have led the work are going to work through with their professions. So it’s pretty important I think that one gets a work life balance and once gets time at home with the kids in the evening. That doesn’t happen all the time because of the demands of work and various things one has to do for KPMG, but when I do get back in the evening it’s very good to do some math and some reading with the girls, to help them along a bit with what’s happening at school.”

I have spent almost all my career at KPMG and I'm now the Partner in charge of our lobbying efforts.I spend my time with politicians, civil servants, academics, investors and sometimes even journalists to ensure that KPMG is getting key messages across to the Government and our regulators.In this clip I talk to a number of people about this, but never forget that home life is important as well.

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